The present invention pertains generally to hair styling, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a hairpiece which may be worn by a user to supplement the user""s own hair.
Hairpieces are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D59,261 shows a hair fringe in which hair is disposed partially around a band.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,190 illustrates a hair structure which is worn by women who preferably have a permanently bobbed style of hair. The structure includes a foundation to which strands of hair are attached. The device includes an expansible elastic member.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,638,016 discloses a hairpiece attachment in which strands of hair are attached to a non-elastic band.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,310 shows a head conforming mounting for adjustably positionable hairpieces. The device includes a hairpiece which is attached to ribbon streamers.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,557 has of a boudoir cap with a plurality of curls spaced around the rim of the cap. An elastic band enables the rim of the cap to be stretched so that it can be placed on the head of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,867 describes a capless wig in which hair weftings are spaced around a border elastic band.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,749 depicts a cap for wear by women to conceal partial or total hair loss. It has a main fabric piece with a curved top margin and a straight bottom margin with hems along both margins. A hairpiece retainer band consisting of a fabric strip is sewn at its opposite ends along the inside of the bottom hem. It provides between itself and the bottom hem a space to retain hairpiece simulating bangs. An elastic drawstring is provided in the top hem to gather the curved top margin into a tight loop. This creates many large folds in the top and back of the cap when worn to conceal the back of the head. It gives the appearance of a full head of hair while applying tension to the bottom margin. A retainer band holds the hairpiece in place in a readily adjustable manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,029 shows a hairpiece having a plurality of individual hairs adjustably secured about an endless circular filament or filaments and the method of placement on the head. The circular filament or filaments encircle the upper forward portion of the head. The sides and the lower back portion of the head are beneath an upper layer and above an underlying layer of hair. The hairpiece is thereby sandwiched between layers of the natural hair on the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,452 pertains to an adjustable hairpiece construction which includes a filamentary support element formed into a loop so as to fit around the head. Hair is affixed to the loop element in a manner allowing it to hang down. An adjustment assembly for adjusting the size of the loop has first and second bores. Portions of the support element extend through each of the bores. A releasable diameter fixing member is movable along the support element to fix the size of the loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,535 defines a head covering foundation article for a wig. It includes a stretchable net-like head band having a circumference approximately equal to the circumference of the head. Each band edge has an elasticized strip with loops adapted to be gripped by hook fabric fasteners. Hair extends upwardly and downwardly from both of the strips to simulate nape, forehead and crown hair.
U.S. Pat. No. D445,217 shows a light weight hairpiece having a plurality of hair placed around a band.
In the past, the most common methods of attaching pre-made extension wefts to a wearer""s head have included gluing the extension wefts to the wearer""s own hair or head with a strong bonding glue, bonding strands of extension hair to strands of the wearer""s own hair with a strong bonding substance, and sewing extension wefts to a corn-row base of tightly woven braids on the wearer""s own scalp made of the wearer""s own hair. These methods are best performed by an expert hairdresser, and can cost hundreds of dollars.
The present invention is directed to a method of making a hairpiece. The product of the invention comprises an easy to use, inexpensive and temporary alternative to previous hair extensions. The invention makes available a variety of options in hair coloring and styling to an enormous group of people who may not have considered extensions as a viable option for themselves previously. Many people who may not have thought to try extensions in the past can now do so. The hairpiece of the present invention is easy to put on, comfortable to wear, and gives the wearer endless options as to the appearance of their hair. These options range from the introduction of a color to the wearer""s own natural color which is evenly distributed in a natural way around the entire hairline and head, to the appearance of a different style of the wearer""s own hair with no real difference in color. The hairpiece can be worn with endless possibilities of styling, and can be parted in any way which the wearer feels comfortable, or prefers. The hairpiece, when made of human hair, not only give endless possibilities for styling options, but also feels totally natural, is easy to care for, and will not bleed color or come out onto the wearer""s own hair. The hairpiece can be cared for and washed easily by swishing gently in a sink filled with a combination of lukewarm water with a little bit of hair conditioner or fabric softener, rinsing gently, and hanging to air dry. The hair of the hairpiece is mounted on an elastic band, and will stay securely in place during normal use. A wearer can treat the hairpiece in the same manner as she would her own hair.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a method for fabricating a hairpiece includes:
(a)providing an elastic band which is shaped and dimensioned to fit around the head of a wearer, the band having a top rim, an outside surface, and a circumference;
(b) providing a hair member wherein multiple strands of hair are attached to an elongated pre-stitched band having a top;
(c) transversely cutting the pre-stitched band into sections to form a plurality of hair wefts, wherein each hair weft includes multiple strands of hair, the strands attached to the pre-stitched band having a top and opposite ends.
(d) with the elastic band in an unstretched state, stitching the pre-stitched band of each hair weft to the outside surface of the elastic band so that the top of each pre-stitched band substantially aligns with the top rim of the elastic band so that the hair wefts cover the elastic band, the hair wefts disposed in close circumferential relationship around the elastic band so that the hair wefts completely surround the circumference of the elastic band; and,
(e) the stitching of the pre-stitched bands of the hair wefts to the elastic band comprising a plurality of separate stitch segments, wherein each pre-stitched band is separately stitched to the elastic band with one stitch segment and no stitch segment extends between adjacent pre-stitched bands leaving small unstitched gaps between adjacent pre-stitched bands.
In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, in step (b) the plurality of hair wefts include at least one double thick hair weft, the double thick hair weft including two hair wefts in which the pre-stitched bands of the two hair wefts are stitched together in a laterally offset arrangement.